


Customer Service

by Chanonvic



Category: Karneval (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Friends to Lovers, Gratuitous use of OCs, M/M, Nonpenetrative Sex, Strangers to Lovers, Summer Vacation, summer job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26605960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chanonvic/pseuds/Chanonvic
Summary: And with familiarity, the museum had shrunk. The once-grand exhibits and halls condensed to favorite coves to sneak off to for a moment of quiet and meet-up spots to chat with coworkers during breaks. Still, his time working at the museum wasn't the worst. He'd even say he enjoyed it.And thenhecame along.--Or, a less-than-cute meetcute evolves into friendship and something more.
Relationships: Gareki/Yogi (Karneval)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 23
Collections: Summer Multifandom Rarepair Bingo





	Customer Service

**Author's Note:**

> _Summer Multifandom Rarepair Bingo: summer jobs, tour guide_

Gareki was used to being broke – that didn't mean he enjoyed it. Growing up, this meant lifting a filled-to-bursting wallet here or reappropriating food from a dinner table full of it there, but since enrolling at his boarding school, he hadn't needed to. All of his basic needs were taken care of, and he was afforded a modest allowance for books and clothes and school supplies. Despite his best attempts at saving, however, that allowance wore thin during school breaks, thinnest over the summer.

"Get a job, then," Seshiri suggested like it was the most obvious thing in the world one lunch period.

Gareki blinked at her. "Students aren't allowed," he replied, recalling some line in the school handbook about it. "Right?" And he turned to Ranji, who had the school codes of conduct memorized.

Ranji put a finger to her chin. "Well, technically they aren't, but there's something about special circumstances. What was it again?" Her finger started to tap, and Gareki leaned forward slightly in anticipation of the answer. Finally, she snapped in realization. "That's right! There are two exceptions: if a student has written permission from their parents or guardian –" Gareki inwardly scoffed at that option; he doubted the state, his legal "guardian," would deign to sign a piece of paper for him – "or if they can prove the job is helping their studies."

Gareki chewed on the idea. Surely there were plenty of jobs that related to his studies, and if there weren't, he could totally spin one. So Gareki threw himself into job searching, which consisted of scrolling through endless online web results for menial job openings. Most sounded boring at best and completely irrelevant to schoolwork at worst. Still, he dutifully tracked the few postings that were even remotely promising so he could return and apply to them later. By the end of the week, with summer vacation drawing ever nearer, he'd had a list of eight solid options. From the eight came three offers, and Gareki went with the highest payrate.

That was how Gareki became a tour guide at the Museum of Science and Technology.

* * *

The worst part of the job was the uniform. Because of his age, he was stuck giving tours in the children's section, which meant that he had to wear a beige khaki shirt-and-shorts outfit to mimic being an explorer or whatever his new boss had said. Silver lining, he didn't have to wear a stupid hat and got to keep on his goggles (apparently, they added to the "look").

Gareki figured that if that was the worst he had it, then he had it pretty good. And it was true: sure, the kids he gave tours too were loud and annoying but they also fueled him with their energy and surprisingly sharp questions. He got free lunch from the cafeteria via his employee ID and a steep discount from the gift shop and bookstore. He was allowed to explore the other exhibits when he wasn't working, which both sated his natural curiosity and met his school's "relevance to studies" requirement. And, of course, he received a hefty check at the end of each week.

His first few weeks flew by, helped along by the nervousness of Not Wanting To Mess This Up, and the satisfaction of being able to buy the things he normally ogled through store windows sped up the next couple. A month into the job, the novelty had worn off and each day went back to feeling like 24 hours, meaning that each shift dragged on. The Museum of Science and Technology was now either just affectionately "work" or irritated "the damn museum." And with familiarity, the museum had shrunk. The once-grand exhibits and halls condensed to favorite coves to sneak off to for a moment of quiet and meet-up spots to chat with coworkers during breaks. Still, his time working at the museum wasn't the worst. He'd even say he enjoyed it.

And then _he_ came along.

* * *

Gareki didn't usually pay attention to the faces of the kids he led through the museum. They all kind of blurred into one blob of juvenile smiles and sticky fingers and endless laughter. Every once in a while, a kid would wander off from the group, and he and his colleagues would help the frantic family find said kid; when this happened, Gareki would be hyper-focused on the lost child's appearance for the sake of reuniting them with their family, but once that happened, those details slipped from his mind in favor of something more intriguing, like the arrival of a new exhibit or a juicy bit of gossip about the gift shop cashier's crush on the cafeteria's freezer stocker.

For some reason, though, a kid stood out to him one day. He had silver-white hair and red eyes that were as soft as their color was piercing. He was a bit taller than the other kids, indicating his slight age advantage, but that wasn't unusual; sometimes there were siblings in his groups, some years older than the rest. No, what was different about this one was that he wasn't listening to Gareki. He'd move with the group, but always, _always_ , wandered off when they stopped, and he was always, _always_ , looking at the wrong exhibit. Gareki narrowed his eyes at the kid, wondering why he had even bothered hopping on the tour group if he couldn't even be bothered to pay attention.

Gareki sighed away his chagrin, resolving not to care about the kid. Beyond making sure he didn't wander off too far, Gareki just let him be and continued the trek through the children's exhibits. This worked up until the very end. All the other children met back up with their families or babysitters, eager to rehash every detail they could remember (and some they made up). Not the white-haired kid, though. Instead, he looked around, his curiosity fading to panic in a pattern Gareki had seen often enough to know where this was headed.

Without a second thought, he approached the kid. "Hey," he said, "you waiting for someone?"

The kid hesitated before leaning in. "Y-yes, my cousin was supposed to meet me here." And he cast another sweeping look around the atrium.

Gareki suppressed a sigh; seriously, what was with people not looking after their kids? "What's your name, kid?"

The kid pulled his gaze back up to meet Gareki's. "Nai."

"Okay, Nai. I'm Gareki."

Nai nodded. "I remember."

Gareki quirked a brow. So the kid had been listening to him. Well, at least at first. "You said your cousin was going to meet you here. Are you sure this was the exact place? And does your cousin know when the tour was supposed to end?"

Nai nodded again. "He does! He's been on this tour before, he said he knew where I would be."

"Well, he still might come. Maybe he went to the bathroom first or something. What's he look like? I'll help you keep an eye out."

"Um, well, he's tall, taller than you, at least, and –" Nai cut himself off and focused on something over Gareki's shoulder. "There he is!"

Nai stepped around Gareki to approach his cousin. Gareki turned to watch the reunion so he could mentally check the box that made sure each kid on his tour was accounted for. The aforementioned cousin was running full-tilt toward Nai and scooped him into a hug as soon as the kid was in arm's length.

"Nai!" he said. "I'm so sorry! I got distracted and – I'm just so glad you're okay."

Gareki almost rolled his eyes – seriously, the guy was late by all of five minutes, it wasn't _that_ serious – but something about him seemed familiar. He regarded the man – a boy, really – again: he had wavy blond hair and was tall (taller than Gareki, indeed) and lean. His face was soft, delicate, and though his eyes were currently screwed shut from the completely inappropriate outpouring of emotion, Gareki could imagine blue eyes so deep they were almost purple. After another half-second, Gareki finally placed him. This was Yogi, an upperclassmen at his school, and a well-known one at that.

"The tour guide took care of me," Nai said, his words slightly muffled by Yogi's shoulder.

Yogi finally let go of Nai, who turned back to smile at Gareki. Yogi followed his gaze, then began walking toward him, guiding Nai by the shoulder. Gareki had half a mind to turn and walk away, but it took too long to convince his legs and the cousins were suddenly back in his space.

"You're the guide, right?" the older boy said. Before Gareki could confirm, he placed a hand on Gareki's shoulder and smiled. "Thank you for taking care of my cousin."

Gareki felt his own lips twitch under the force of that bright smile, though whether it was to return it or to scowl, he wasn't sure. He glanced blankly at the hand still on his shoulder before brushing it off and looking up at Yogi. "Next time, _you_ take care of your cousin." Yogi's smile faltered and his hand hung in the air from where Gareki had pushed it away. Gareki turned to look at Nai. "Goodbye, Nai. I'm glad you found your cousin." And he walked away.

* * *

Gareki had absolutely no reason to think of either Nai or Yogi again the following few days. As far has he had been concerned, an almost-lost kid had been returned to his caregiver, thus ending his responsibility for said child. He returned his focus to the next groups, to his colleagues, to his paycheck. This is most likely why he was shocked to see a familiar head of silver-white hair.

Nai had once again attached himself to Gareki's tour group, though this time he was accompanied by Yogi. It wasn't odd to have an older person – a young parent or babysitter, usually – tag along occasionally, even though most preferred to explore the rest of the museum and just pick up their brats in the atrium. It also wasn't rare to have a few repeats, kids who just couldn't get enough of the exhibits but weren't old enough to go through them unsupervised. Gareki repeated these facts until the shock of seeing Yogi and Nai again so soon wore off.

The tour went off without a hitch, as usual – no way Gareki would let a mild surprise interrupt his professionalism. He noticed that Nai was, once again, doing his own thing, but Gareki kind of expected it this time so it didn't bother him nearly as much. What was new, though, was that Yogi seemed to hang onto every word he said. Gareki caught him staring a few times, though Yogi would quickly avert his gaze in a poor attempt at looking nonchalant. Again, Gareki forced himself to let it go so he could focus on his group.

They approached an interactive exhibit, one of the highlights of the tour for both the kids and Gareki. The young ones got to pull levers, push buttons, turn knobs, and the like to try and get a small mag-lev trolley from one end of the room to the other. Gareki got to relax his voice for a few minutes and just watch them stumble onto success. He leaned against a beam, his usual spot, and crossed his arms, prepared to do just that.

Somehow, he'd forgotten about Yogi. When the blond leaned against the beam beside him, he had to suppress a startled wince. "Oh," he said, recovering quickly, "you're still here."

Yogi either didn't take offense to Gareki's dismissal or didn't notice it. "You know so much of this stuff," he said, the admiration clear in his voice. "You must be really smart."

"I am," Gareki said without hesitation, "but not because I know all this 'stuff.'" He glanced at him and smirked. "It's kinda my job to know, idiot."

Yogi blushed at the insult. "That was mean," he pouted. "I was only trying to give you a compliment."

"Yeah, well, thanks, I guess." He glanced down at his museum-issued watch and absently asked, "You here with Nai again? Or did you come to learn something yourself?"

"I brought Nai. He liked it so much that I figured he would enjoy the museum again. And he seemed to like your tour enough, too, so we thought why not? As for me, well, I'm just doing what you said."

Gareki had only been half-listening to the response, but that last bit piqued his attention. "What I said?" he repeated, casting a sideways glance at the blond.

"Yeah, you told me to take care of him."

Gareki rolled his eyes. "I meant look after him better, not follow him around all day."

Yogi chuckled, more an exultation of breath than a true laugh. "I _know_ that. But still, you had a point. And this way, I get to have a conversation with someone my own age for once."

This time, Gareki turned his head completely to look at him and gave him a sweeping look. Yogi was leaning against the column like he was, though with a grace that he doubted the older boy was consciously aware of. He was also bent toward Gareki a little, like they were already bosom buddies having the most fascinating conversation. He didn't know what to say, how to respond to Yogi's underlying assertion that they were anything more than employee-and-customer. Luckily, his watched beeped, signaling the end of the children's interactive time. He pushed himself off the column and walked over to the crowd of kids.

"All right, guys, time to move on to the space exhibit." Gareki was met with a chorus of cheers, and he smirked; the space exhibit was always a crowd-pleaser. He began walking backwards to lead the throng of small humans, his gaze sweeping over their heads to do a mental head-count every now and again, as he talked about what they were about to witness. He noted, distantly, that Yogi had rejoined the crowd at the back, his hands shoved into his pockets and regarding Gareki with that same rapt attention as earlier.

* * *

The tour wrapped up without incident, and Gareki was happy for it. He watched the kids reunite with their families in the atrium, just as he had countless times before, and took it as a sign of a job well done. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Nai standing off to the side, which triggered a sense of deja vu in him. This time, though, Yogi was right beside him, and the two were chatting excitedly about something; Gareki was too far to distinguish the words. He did, however, notice the way Yogi was bent towards Nai, like he was afraid to miss even a single word, and he thought back to the interactive exhibit. Why would Yogi, a veritable stranger, have been paying so much attention to him?

Said stranger seemed to notice Gareki's attention and waved. Gareki wasn't sure if he meant it as a greeting, departure, or beckon, but he chose to ignore it all the same, turning to head to the cafeteria for a late lunch before he left for the day. He wasn't quick enough.

Gareki felt someone tug his arm, and he stopped. He knew who it was even before turning, but that didn't stop the shock of seeing Yogi holding onto him from setting in. He pulled his arm free and turned back to face Yogi and Nai. "What do you two want?" he asked, his neutral tone just barely pulling the question into the realm of professionalism.

"We wanted to say thank you," Yogi said through a soft smile. "Nai and I enjoyed the tour. Very much."

Gareki glanced at Nai, who looked put upon but very earnest. "Were you even paying attention this time?"

Nai blushed a little. "Y-yeah, to the important parts," he insisted. "But there were so many cool gadgets and –!"

"Yeah, I get it." Gareki half-smiled. "I do work here, after all." Then he turned back to Yogi. "And what about you? I know you were paying attention, so tell me – you ready for your pop quiz?"

Yogi blinked. "Pop...quiz?"

"Yeah," and Gareki grinned. "I give one to all the adults who bother me after a tour. Extra questions for the ones who do it during my break time."

Yogi blushed deeply and began stammering over his words, and Gareki wondered if his joke hadn't landed as intended, after all. Which sucked, because it was funny. At least Shishi and Ranji would've laughed. "W-what if I made I up to you?" Yogi suggested, finally dragging himself into coherency. "Join us for ice cream -- my treat!"

Gareki grimaced a little. "Not really into sweets," he muttered. "Besides, I haven't even had lunch yet."

"Then we'll eat lunch first!"

Again, Gareki hesitated. "You do know I get food here for free because I work here, right?" He crossed his arms and waited to see if Yogi would still push it.

And he pushed it: "Yeah, but I bet you're tired of the same food every day, right? Come on, eat with us! You already said you're on a break."

That he did. Gareki unfolded his arms and sighed. "Sure. But only because you said you're buying."

"Yes!" The blond fist pumped in victory, and Nai copied him. Gareki sighed again; what had he just signed up for? "Oh, uh, hey," Yogi said, mirth transforming into confused curiosity, "I just realized I don't know your name."

"Gareki," he said. He wondered if he should hold out his hand to shake, thought better of it.

"Nice to meet you, Gareki! I'm –"

"I know who you are, Yogi," Gareki interrupted. "Everyone at Kuronomei knows who you are."

Yogi tilted his head in consideration. "I guess that makes sense. That means you go there, too, right?"

Gareki nodded. "You're a few years ahead of me, although I think I had your sister in a few classes."

"You met Miu? It's like we're already friends!"

Gareki didn't point out that he wasn't exactly friends with the smartest, richest, most popular girl in his grade. Instead, he asked, "So, where are you taking me?"

* * *

The trio headed to a nearby bistro that Gareki never knew existed. On the contrary, Yogi apparently "went there all the time" with his friends after school, which he proved by placing his order without even touching the menu.

Gareki, however, had needed more time to scan the items. Though he knew he wasn't bound by the confines of prices, he still didn't want to take advantage of Yogi's generosity. Well, not too much. He ended up ordering a deluxe burger and fries; Nai ordered the same, much to his amusement.

"Will you even eat all that?" Gareki asked when their server left.

Nai smiled and nodded. "I'm a growing boy," he said, which made Yogi laugh.

"That's what his mother, my aunt, always says," Yogi explained.

"So, is the whole family staying with you for the summer or something? I thought guests weren't allowed to stay in the dorms."

"No, it's just Nai, and the school made an exception for him, since he's so young and it's only for a little while."

Gareki nodded while wondering if he would've been able to get away with the same. "Hey Nai, what was your favorite part of the tour? Since you were paying attention this time and all."

Nai's eyes lit up and he launched into a recap of what he'd seen and heard on the tour. After a minute or two, Gareki tuned out the rest, though he was surprised that Nai indeed had listened to the most important parts of the tour. He finished when the food arrived, and the three boys prepared to dig in.

"You didn't ask about my favorite part," Yogi said as Gareki lifted his burger.

"That's because I already know what it was," he said back. "It was obviously talking to me."

* * *

"Are you headed back to the dorms?" Yogi asked when they were outside the bistro.

"Not yet," Gareki said. "Got a few errands to run." It wasn't exactly true; he really just wanted to break off from the others, could feel his social battery tapping dry after the long day.

"Ah. Well, I guess we'll see you around, then." Yogi waved and shifted away from Gareki in preparation to leave.

"Goodbye, Gareki!" Nai said, and he grabbed Gareki's hand, squeezed it, and dropped it before Gareki had even registered it.

"Yeah," he said, turning, "see you around. "

* * *

The next time Gareki saw Yogi and Nai, he was on his lunch break. He had just deposited his last tour group in the atrium and spotted the pair just down the hall. He was stuck there, wondering if he should turn in the other direction and quickly walk away or just act natural since this was his damn territory. He didn't get to make the decision; Nai noticed him and waved excitedly, prompting Yogi to look up, see him, and begin waving, too. Gareki held back a sigh and stuck his hands in his pockets while the others closed the distance.

"Gareki! Hi, Gareki!" Nai said when they were within earshot of each other.

"Yo," he replied. Annoyed as he was being forced to socialize during his break (again), he just couldn't hold it against the kid. He blamed being surrounded by kids all day every day for softening.

"Hello again, Gareki," Yogi said through a sunny smile. "What're you up to?"

Gareki regarded him coolly rather than respond. For some reason, it was much easier to let out his frustration on the older teen.

Yogi's smile faltered a little, but he pressed on (rather admirably, Gareki had to admit). "S-see, we were about to head out for lunch, and I remembered this was your lunch hour so we waited for you here to see if you wanted to join us again."

Gareki quirked an eyebrow. What was with this guy and his compulsion to feed him? "You buying?" he asked, putting a hand on his hip.

"Of course!" And Yogi's eyes twinkled, clearly anticipating Gareki's assent.

Said teen merely shrugged and said, "Lead the way."

* * *

"Why do you guys like coming to the museum so much, anyway?" Gareki asked before biting into his burger.

"Nai's visiting for a little while, and there's only so many things to do to keep him occupied," Yogi said, ruffling the kid's hair. "We've already been to the beach, the amusement park, the water park, and the pool on campus at least twice each."

Gareki nodded. That sounded like a lot, but he knew firsthand from his experience dealing with kids all day that they needed constant activity and could get bored easily. "You been to the ice cream factory? It's on the other side of town, but I've heard it's fun. They show how the ice cream flavors are made and packaged, and there's free samples of everything."

Nai's eyes went wide with wonder. "That sounds fun! Yogi, let's do that one day."

Yogi smiled softly. "Sure, Nai."

* * *

Like last time, Gareki parted ways with the cousins, heading off further into town while the others went back to the dorms. He had quite a few minutes to kill before he was expected back at the museum, and he spent them window shopping as he walked. He settled into the long-time hobby feeling warm and with a full belly.

* * *

Gareki didn't see Nai or Yogi again until the end of the week. The pair was waiting by the gift shop, and he almost walked past them as he headed toward the main entrance to leave for the day.

"Gareki!" the cousins called together.

"Oh, hey," he said, turning to watch them approach. "What brings you by?" Yogi couldn't possibly be there to feed him again, could he?

"We're going to the ice cream factory," Nai informed him excitedly. "Do you want to come?"

"It's Nai's last day in the city, " Yogi added, "so we want to make it special. And since this was your idea..."

Gareki narrowed his eyes, unwilling to fall for such manipulation. Then again, it was the last time he'd see Nai for the summer, possibly ever, and that he'd wanted to spend that precious little time with Gareki, of all people, kind of forced his hand.

"Might as well," he sighed. "Don't expect me to try any ice cream, though. "

* * *

Nai , of course, loved everything. From the bright colors to the pop art promotional material to the costumed figures handing out spoonfuls of ice cream, he was in awe. Despite all the brats running around (reminding Gareki miserably of work), Gareki and Yogi were far from the only older people visiting the factory. Yogi was, however, the only near-adult taking selfies with the various mascots, and Gareki did his best to pretend not to know him.

"Gareki, you haven't tried any!" Nai lamented, waving a dripping spoon in his face.

"I told you, I'm not into sweets," he huffed.

"They have savory flavors, too, " Yogi said. He had a hand suspiciously behind his back while the other stroked his chin in thought.

Gareki cringed. "That sounds even worse than – _mmph_!" His eyes blew wide open at the sudden sensation of cold on his tongue. Yogi had stuck a spoon in his mouth and was grinning, obviously quite pleased with himself. Nai clutched his stomach in laughter. Gareki grabbed the spoon and yanked it back out, though not before swallowing the bit of ice cream that was on it. Surprisingly, the flavor wasn't too sweet, mild and fruity instead. 

"You'll pay for that," he swore, shaking the spoon as threateningly as one could with a spoon.

This, of course, made Yogi laugh. "Come on, admit it, you liked it."

Gareki didn't respond, only turned to throw the spoon away, and this made his companions laugh harder.

* * *

Gareki's weekend flew by, having spent most of it lounging in his dorm and occasionally walking the near-empty halls for fresh air. Soon enough, he was on his way back to work, and as he pulled on his uniform he started to think about Nai and Yogi. It was a little bittersweet to know that he wouldn't see the white-haired kid anymore, and that Yogi probably wouldn't stop by the museum anymore because of that. Just like that, the short-lived deviation in his summer routine was flattening again into reliable monotony.

He'd convinced himself that he wouldn't see Yogi anymore, at least not until school started again, so he froze in his tracks when he saw a familiar figure leaning against the gates framing Kuronomei's main entrance. Yogi saw him a few moments after and straightened his posture so he could wave to him. Gareki recovered and continued walking toward the gates.

"Hey, Gareki!" Yogi said when Gareki was closer. "Good morning!"

"Morning. What're you doing here?"

Yogi's smile tightened a little. "I-I was waiting for you," he replied. "I wanted to walk you to work. I-if that's okay."

Again, Gareki froze. In the span of about an hour, he'd gone from being certain that he and Yogi would have nothing to do with each other for the rest of the summer to entertaining the idea of said blond walking with him to work. "Why?" he asked, genuinely curious to hear the answer.

Yogi's smile fell all together into a worried line and his eyebrows creased a little. "To keep you company?" he said, his obvious uncertainty pulling the answer into another question.

Suddenly, Gareki remembered the first real conversation the two teens had had; Yogi had said something about finally having a conversationalist his own age (or near enough) in Gareki. So the upperclassman was just bored, that explained his undue interest in the younger boy. Even knowing this, Gareki couldn't bring himself to hold it against Yogi. Maybe he was just a little bored himself.

"Let's go, then. I'm not gonna be late because of you."

* * *

Yogi continued to meet Gareki at Kuronomei's front entrance. The second day took Gareki by surprise for all that this development was new. The third day surprised him only because he figured Yogi would've lost interest by then. By day four, he just accepted his lot. For each morning that week, Yogi walked him through the town, chatting the entire way about random things – places he and Nai had visited during Nai's stay, what Yogi had eaten for breakfast, which classes and teachers Gareki should avoid – before depositing him onto the steps of the museum's entrance.

Gareki found that he didn't _mind_ Yogi's company. Something about the incessant chatter and the easy smiles he gave Gareki when the latter made a rare joke and the unthinking grace in his movements was mildly enjoyable. It was comforting knowing that he could just exist without the expectation of talking or doing something. It reminded him of being with Ranji and Seshiri and Shishi and thus dulled the ache of missing them through the summer break.

"Well, here you are," Yogi said as they stopped on the museum steps. He glanced up at the building's name, then back at Gareki. "Have fun today."

He always said that, despite Gareki explaining countless times that this was _work_ , it wasn't meant to be fun. (Gareki figured the thought just did not compute, and he wondered if Yogi had ever had a real job.) "Thanks," Gareki said, "you, too." He gave a half wave and walked into the building.

Once Gareki settled into his first tour of the day, all thoughts of Yogi evaporated in the spirit of doing good work. In fact, he didn't think of the blond again until he joined his coworkers for lunch.

"And that makes a full week in a row," Setsuna, another tour guide, said as she joined in from his right.

"What're you talking about?" Gareki asked. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the menu above one of the cafeteria stations.

"You've been actually joining us for lunch," Touma, the gift shop cashier, said from his left. "For a while, you were going out every day."

Oh, yeah. Since Yogi had been walking him to work every day, he apparently hadn't felt the need to bribe him with lunch anymore.

"We were afraid you didn't like us anymore," Setsuna said with a playful pout.

"Or that you found someone more exciting than us," Touma said with a smirk. He leaned in conspiratorially. "So, what's their name?"

Yogi's bright smile flashed in his mind, and he said, "It's just a friend from school," as casually as he could.

"Ooh, even better!" Setsuna said, clutching a determined fist. "Tell us more about this _friend_."

Gareki rolled his eyes. It was a wonder that Touma's crush on the freezer stocker wasn't museum-wide news by now with the amount that his coworkers liked to gossip. "He's an upperclassman from Kuronomei, he was bored so we started hanging out. That's it."

Touma stroked his chin. "Bored, huh? That sounds really casual, but going out to lunch a couple of weeks is hardly a summer fling. What else have you two done together?"

Gareki groaned. This conversation was officially over. He ignored Touma's chortling and Setsuna's needling so he could place his lunch order. His colleagues tried to get him to talk more about Yogi, but Gareki wouldn't budge, and they eventually dropped it. It astounded him that his college-student coworkers could be as childish as his tour attendees, but he supposed that was also what made him like them as much as he did. Either way, the three set aside all conversation of Yogi.

Until they saw him that evening.

Setsuna and Gareki had waited for Touma to close up the gift shop so they could walk into town together before they invariably split up to their separate destinations, a ritual they had established pretty early in the summer to celebrate the end of the work week. The headed quickly to the museum entrance, eager to start the weekend, swapping plans with varying degrees of eagerness as they made their way into town.

"Gareki?" came a familiar voice, interrupting Setsuna's rather dreamy musings about heading down to the beach to shop around for a girlfriend. The trio turned at the same time to face the voice's owner. Yogi was holding a large white box and was standing in front of the bakery the group had just passed. "I thought that was you!"

Gareki reflexively blushed at the prospect of Setsuna and Touma meeting Yogi mere hours after they were talking about him, and he cleared his throat softly to calm himself down. "Hey," he managed.

After a moment of silence, Touma elbowed Gareki in the side. "Don't be rude," he said, "introduce us."

Gareki rolled his eyes but complied. "Setsuna, Touma, this is Yogi. My friend from school." He willed his face not to heat up again. "Yogi, these are my coworkers."

"Pleased to meet you," Setsuna and Touma said at the same time, a bit too eager for Gareki's liking.

"Likewise," Yogi said pleasantly.

"Well, we're not gonna hog Gareki from you," Setsuna said, latching onto Touma's arm and tugging him further down the road. "Enjoy your weekend Gareki! See you Monday!"

"Remember to be safe," Touma said suggestively, and Gareki grit his teeth. Lucky for Touma, he was out of slapping range.

"That was...something," Yogi muttered, watching the other two practically skip down the sidewalk. "Anyway, this is perfect timing! I just picked up my order of eclairs, and I can't finish them myself."

Gareki glanced at the box. "Given your love of sweets, I think you could. I haven't even eaten dinner yet."

"Actually, neither have I. Let's grab dinner together first. And yes, I'm buying."

Who was Gareki to say no to that?

* * *

He stared at the ceiling, unsure of what to do with himself. As much as he'd been looking forward to his time off, he hadn't exactly planned out his free time.

Gareki decided to get out of his (currently and painfully empty) dorm room. He didn't have a specific destination in mind, just figuring he'd decide something eventually or distract himself at worst. The campus was pretty dead, with most of the students and faculty off with their families or on vacation. The few stragglers, like him, remaining either had commitments on/near campus or didn't have a family to return to, for whatever reason. Gareki supposed it was funny that, with his new job, he technically fell into both categories.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and wandered aimlessly through the halls of Kuronomei's residence hall, letting his thoughts wander. His feet brought him to the grounds just outside the athletics quad. With school sports temporarily halted, it was quiet except for the occasional clanging of some jock pumping iron in preparation for the upcoming season. He thought, as he always did while passing the recreation center, about taking a dip in the school pool. Then, as he usually did, he figured he wasn't quite bored enough for that and would just return to his room and text Shishi to ask about his study abroad internship. He turned to leave and do just that when he saw a familiar figure a few paces from him walking from the direction he had just come from.

Yogi noticed him a couple of moments later and half-jogged to close the distance between them. "Gareki!" he greeted enthusiastically.

Gareki winced at the brightness in the other's voice, though he thought he'd be used to it by then. "Hey," he replied, then gave him a sweeping look. Yogi was wearing a tank top and shorts and had a beach towel hanging from his shoulders. He was also carrying a little tote bag. Gareki quirked an eyebrow. "What're you up to?"

Yogi grinned. "I was heading to the pool." His eyes widened in some sudden realization. "You should come with me!"

Gareki glanced back at the rec center. "I didn't bring anything to change into," he replied. "Not that I'd want to go swimming anyway."

"Oh, come on," Yogi said, latching onto Gareki's wrist. "Just keep me company, then!"

Gareki lacked the will to resist, not with the sheer boredom of his empty dorm room chafing his insides. He sighed and resigned himself to his fate, and some time later, he was sitting on the edge of the shallow end of the pool, lazily kicking his feet through the water as he watched Yogi do laps.

He never did find out about Shishi's internship.

* * *

"Aw, c'mon Gareki, that's not fair!" Touma wailed.

Gareki resisted the urge to rub his now-sore ear and instead elbowed the guy away from him. "The hell it isn't."

Touma, defeated, slumped against the gift shop counter beside Gareki. The automatic doors swished open, and both males looked over to the entrance to see Setsuna trudging in, shoulders drooped uncharacteristically low. "What's wrong with you?" Touma asked. The doors closed behind the woman, who sagged against the counter, too.

"Angry visitor yelled at me in front of my tour," she grumbled.

"Yikes," Touma said, and Gareki couldn't agree more. Setsuna was kind and energetic, undoubtedly the reason she was hired as a tour guide, which made it nigh on impossible to get angry at her.

"Don't worry about it," Gareki said. "They were probably just taking out their frustration on you."

Setsuna considered this, then shrugged, starting to perk back up. "Yeah, I guess you're right. And anyway, we got bigger things to worry about. Such as how we're gonna spend these three carnival tickets." She grinned and held up three slips of paper.

Gareki suppressed a cringe and ignored the return of Touma's glare. "Sorry, Setsuna, but some of us have better people to go with," the gift shop clerk said.

Setsuna gaped at him first, then Gareki. "What? Come on! We've been planning to go this whole summer!"

Gareki crossed his arms. "No, _you_ two planned to go this whole summer. I just said I might tag along. Besides, don't you have people your own age to go with?"

"Yeah, but if they were here, we wouldn't be hanging out with you," Touma said with a cheeky smile.

"Ugh, whatever. Why don't you just invite Freezer Girl?"

Touma paled at the mere mention of her name, but Setsuna scoffed. "So I can be the third wheel? No thank you. Who're you going with, anyway?"

"Friend from school," Gareki said with a shrug.

Setsuna smiled wryly. "The same friend we met, the one you keep going to lunch with?"

"He drops him off at work, too," Touma said before Gareki could answer. "Super romantic."

Setsuna made a gesture like she was clutching her pearls. "Well, by all means," she said with exaggerated magnanimity, "don't let us intrude on your _date_."

Gareki bristled while the others laughed. "It's _not_ a _date_."

"If you say so," Touma said through a chuckle. "Tell me this, who asked who?"

Gareki glared at him before answering, "He did." That set his coworkers off again.

"Definitely a date."

* * *

Gareki couldn't get his coworkers' words out of his head. He'd wanted to scoff at Setsuna and Touma earlier when they put this stupid idea in his head to begin with but his mind snagged on it. As absurd and uncomfortable and impossible as it was, the possibility of this being a _date_ was oddly satisfying. His skin prickled at the thought of the upperclassman's attention focused solely on him, even as he tried to convince himself that he didn't care since he had never cared before.

He sighed, deciding that it didn't matter. Either way, he was just hanging out with a friend at the carnival. He forced his shoulders to relax and continued walking to the fairgrounds on the edge of town where the carnival was set up. There was a crowd gathered outside the entrance but Gareki spotted Yogi immediately. He was standing under a banner hanging from a pair of lampposts. Yogi was cutely looking in the wrong direction for him and thus didn't notice him approach until Gareki was practically on top of him.

"Gareki!" the older boy said as though he _hadn’t_ been expecting him. Then his face melted into a part-relieved, part-excited grin. "You're here! Finally."

"What're you talking about? I'm right on time." He glanced down at his watch for confirmation, then crossed his arms self-consciously.

"Aww, don't pout," Yogi said, poking his cheek. "I only meant that I was waiting here for you for, like, ever."

Gareki stared at him. Yogi had come early just to wait for him? Then he caught himself and looked away. "I'm not pouting."

Yogi chuckled. "Come on," he said and placed his hands on Gareki's shoulders to turn him toward the carnival's entrance.

It was the first weekend of the carnival's visit, meaning that every attraction had a long, serpentine line. Even so, Gareki barely noticed the wait, too distracted by Yogi's usual chatter, though this time it was appropriate, even he had to admit. They made tentative schemes to go on all the rides, though they were just as liable to scrap their ideas and start fresh, especially when they passed a food stall. Gareki was almost enjoying himself, but every time Yogi insisted on buying their snacks or grabbed his elbow to drag him to another ride line or lit up when Gareki managed to win him a prize from a game stall, Gareki's mind flung back to his conversation with Setsuna and Touma. On yet another snack break, his coworkers' words played on repeat in his head.

Gareki leaned forward on one elbow and stared down at his drink. His lips pressed together as if to hold back the words pressed against them. He mentally cursed Setsuna and Touma because if it weren't for them he wouldn't even be _thinking_ about this, wouldn't be repeating the same four words in his head, wouldn't be trying to predict the answer as quickly as he was trying to convince himself he didn't care which one he'd get. He grimaced; the ice in his drink was melting but he couldn't coax his mouth into opening for a sip.

Beside him, marvel that it was, Yogi was silently drinking his milkshake. Gareki figured he was looking out at the water, lost in thought as he sometimes was, which would explain the quiet. But when he glanced over, their eyes met. A blush crept to Yogi's face but he didn't look away. The waver in his eyes and tension in his jaw, like he wanted to speak but couldn't find the words, finally broke Gareki.

"Yogi," he said, turning slowly. Then before he could lose nerve, he screwed his eyes shut and blurted out: "is this a date?" Gareki swallowed back the swell of nervousness on the back of his tongue as he counted the seconds between his and Yogi's words. He opened his eyes but didn't dare look up, more content to stare at the ground.

"Do you want it to be a date?" Yogi asked gently. 

That Yogi hadn't flat out rejected him or laughed in his face made Gareki's chest loosen, and he could breathe again. Still, he couldn't think of an answer to the question, let alone figure out how to speak his barely coherent thoughts. He turned back out toward the water, grip tightening on his cup.

Yogi, bless him, soldiered on. He leaned in toward Gareki and said, "I think _I_ want it to be one," just as softly.

The admission triggered a rush of relief and self-conscious anticipation. His hand holding his drink loosened and he took a long sip of it, focusing on the cool sensation instead of the teeming thoughts in his head and whirling emotions in his chest. As he swallowed, the sensations quieted, leaving him with one clear, ringing thought: Yogi liked him. Yogi _liked_ him, and Gareki...he just might like him back.

"Yeah," he said finally, "I'd like that."

* * *

Setsuna and Touma laughed hysterically when Gareki told them.

* * *

Not much changed after the fair. Yogi still walked Gareki to, and occasionally from, work, though now there were an extra, awkward few seconds when they parted ways. They still bumped into each other on weekends and made spontaneous decisions about what to do to while away the hours. Gareki was simultaneously glad for the consistency and anxious for what it meant that nothing had happened. Wasn't Yogi supposed to try something? Did he expected Gareki to initiate something? Were they officially a couple now? Were they technically going out on dates when they were hanging out now?

Gareki pondered these questions by himself, not completely ruling out the possibility that he was overthinking things. Indeed, things seemed to work themselves out when Touma pitched an idea: "Why doesn't Yogi join us on Fridays?" he asked.

The teen mulled it over. "I'll ask him," he said. "He'll probably say yes."

"Yes!" Touma said, pumping a fist in victory and using his hip to close the cash register.

Gareki quirked an eyebrow. "Why're you so excited to see him?" he asked, suspicious.

"Relax, no need to get jealous." He waved his hand casually. "It's just, if you brought Yogi around, then I could convince Setsuna to let me bring Kyoko with us, too." He grinned, pleased at his own brilliance, clearly.

"Wait, Freezer Girl? You managed to ask her out?"

"Yup!" Touma exclaimed Gareki was genuinely impressed, which made up for his chagrin at Touma's taking advantage of him just to have his new date around. In fact, it gave Gareki an idea.

"So, are you two, like, boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

Touma tapped his chin. "Hmm. I guess so. We haven't really talked about it, but I assume we'll be exclusive. What about you and Yogi?"

Gareki fiddled with one of the gift shop keychains. "Dunno, we haven't talked about it either."

He expected Touma to gasp in surprise or mock him for being so naïve or something, but the man just laughed softly and came around the counter to pat him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, you two will figure it out."

At the end of the week, as planned, the group of five gathered by the gift shop. As Touma had predicted, Setsuna was way more agreeable to the idea of playing fifth wheel when Gareki assured her that Yogi was coming, too. Kyoko was even nicer in person, so she immediately fit into the group. Gareki noticed that Setsuna held back with her usual jests and jibes for the other woman's sake, and he wondered if she noticed she was doing it, especially since it meant the boys were subject to even more of her sarcastic quips.

When it was time for the group to split up, Setsuna crossed her arms and said, "Well, this was an unexpected treat. Let's make this a thing!"

"I'm not complaining," Kyoko said with a soft smile.

"Yeah, you guys are fun to be around," Yogi agreed.

Gareki laughed humorlessly. "Says you. Try working with them on daily basis."

"We love you, too, Gareki," Touma said, throwing an arm around his shoulder.

Gareki shoved him off but wished them a good weekend before heading back to campus with Yogi. The pair was quiet, walking close enough for Gareki to feel the warmth between them without actually touching. Well, Gareki wasn't sure if he was actually feeling that or just imagining it. Either way, it made him feel like he had to _do_ something -- either move away or close the distance.

He was just about to step away when Yogi held up his hand. "D-do you --" he stammered, "I mean, can I? Hold your hand?" He flinched before Gareki could even respond, which disintegrated the last of Gareki's trepidation.

"I don't know," Gareki drawled, "hand-holding isn't something people do casually."

Yogi blinked. "But I – we're _dating_."

Gareki glanced over to him. "Exclusive?" he asked softly, trying to minimize the hopefulness in his tone.

Yogi stopped walking. "Of course!" he said, turning fully to him. "Gareki, I only want to date _you_."

Gareki pressed his lips together to hold back a smile. Instead, he held out a hand. After half a second, Yogi took it. "Me, too."

* * *

It astounded Gareki how easy it was to integrate Yogi into his life. He peeked over the pages of his book and watched Yogi, who was sprawled across Gareki's bed, scroll through his phone with a ghost of a smile on his face. It was weird how much Yogi looked like he belonged, like the dorm was _his_ room instead of Gareki's and Shishi's. It was weirder still that they could spend so much time together even when they weren't doing anything. Weird, but comfortable.

Yogi looked up from his phone, and Gareki ducked his head to pretend he had been reading the entire time. He knew he wasn't convincing, especially with the light blush dusting his cheeks, but he committed to the ruse. "Gareki," Yogi practically whined, "are you done yet?"

"Almost done with this chapter," he said. "Then I just gotta finish the write-up."

Yogi groaned and rolled over onto his back. "But I'm bored," he said, drawing out the last word petulantly.

"Sorry, your highness," Gareki said sarcastically, "I told you I have to hand this in so Higurashi accepts me into her advanced class. You'll have to pleasure yourself." He glanced over to Yogi and waggled his eyebrows suggestively, then laughed at Yogi's squawking response. When he returned his focus to his book, he resolved to shut out all distractions so that he could finish the unofficial assignment quick so he could relieve the blond's boredom and _actually_ enjoy his weekend. This meant that he ignored the sound of his bed creaking as Yogi rolled off of it, and the plodding of footsteps across carpet approaching, until he felt the weight of Yogi's body on the back of his chair. Gareki started at the sudden distraction and ended up leaning into Yogi's chest.

"This book can't be all that interesting," Yogi said, resting his chin on Gareki's shoulder so he could read the book, too.

"More interesting than you," Gareki muttered, but he didn't push him away. He tried to go back to scanning the pages but the warmth and pressure of Yogi's body so close to his made him lose his place.

"You understand all of this?" Yogi asked incredulously. "It looks like another language to me."

"Not everyone's scientifically inclined, I guess," Gareki replied, and he set the book down to reach up and pat Yogi's head consolingly. Yogi leaned into the touch, so Gareki carded his fingers through the blond curls. Yogi hummed at the contact, which Gareki could feel through his fingertips, and that sensation alone made him forget the book entirely. Yogi snuck an arm around Gareki's shoulders and squeezed lightly, initiating the closest thing to a hug they could get in that position.

After a few minutes (or millennia, Gareki wasn't counting), Yogi pulled away a little so he could face Gareki properly. He looked on the verge of saying something, but froze. It took a moment for Gareki to realize it had been whatever expression he was wearing that caused the reaction. He flushed and looked back at his desk, but Yogi softly touched his face and turned it back. Gareki held his breath, waiting for something, though what he didn't know. But when Yogi's eyes flicked down to his mouth, it all made sense. Gareki closed his eyes just in time to catch Yogi's lips on his own.

* * *

Kissing Yogi was an experience. They had started as chaste pecks here and there, more an expression of Yogi's excitement when his usual deluge of words failed him. Then they were a gesture of greeting or departure. Then they were a way to pass the time, and Gareki was loath to admit that he looked forward to those instances. Holed up in Gareki's room or tucked into a corner of the museum, they'd be wrapped up in each other. Yogi would always pull him in like Gareki couldn't get close enough and run his hands up and down Gareki's back, leaving a trail of warmth pricking at his skin, even through his clothes. Gareki would respond with running his hands through Yogi's hair, which invariably made Yogi moan into his mouth and deepen the kiss. Gareki never complained.

During one such bout, Touma and Kyoko burst through the curtains partially concealing them. Gareki practically leapt out of Yogi's arms. "Oops," Touma said through nervous laughter, "looks like this spot is taken." And he and Kyoko skipped away, hand-in-hand.

Gareki blanched at the thought that he and Touma would have to coordinate make-out sessions.

* * *

Working at the Museum of Science and Technology came with certain perks, some of which Gareki was still discovering, some he hadn't even considered perks until their usefulness came to bear. One such perk: all employees had access to the storage closets scattered throughout the building in discreet corners. The thought was, his boss explained, that if anyone had a wardrobe malfunction or a visitor had an accident, any employee had access to the tools they needed to deal with the situation. Gareki had simply nodded during his employee onboarding, figuring he'd never need to remember that detail.

Now, though, half-hidden behind the giant replica of the heart with Yogi's arms circling his waist pulling their bodies flush against each other, thoughts of storage closets resurfaced. He separated his lips from Yogi's, just enough so he could mouth his thoughts.

"Follow me," he murmured into the small space between them, then pulled away from Yogi, much to the other's dismay. He tugged Yogi's wrist toward the direction they were heading before letting him go completely; he was still a professional, after all, and there were unsuspecting children all around them.

The distance between them and the closest closet seemed lightyears away, especially when Gareki was preoccupied with hurrying to said destination while still appearing casual. The last thing he needed was for one of his coworkers (Setsuna, specifically) to see him or for a visitor to stop him with a question. His legs ached with the effort of not-quite-rushing, and he was glad, for once, for the height difference between him and Yogi; it meant the other had no problem keeping up with his brisk pace.

Finally, _finally_ , they reached the closet. Gareki barely paused to snatch off his ID card and scan it, causing the door to click and slide open. "What's in –?" Yogi began to ask, but Gareki had no patience for talking, not when they were finally in a quiet, secluded spot, not when he had another mere minutes in his break. He pulled Yogi into the room and pressed the button on the opposite wall to close the door again.

"Fifteen minutes," Gareki murmured in reminder. The confusion in Yogi's face ebbed away, replaced by earnest determination, and his eyes flicked down to Gareki's mouth. Gareki barely had time to tilt his head to the proper angle before Yogi was winding his arms around him to pull him into another kiss. This one wasn't the searing thrill of doing something they ought not to be doing in a place they shouldn't be, like earlier. Instead, there was a pressure behind Yogi's kiss, his touch, that thrummed with anticipation and promise.

Gareki's fingers tightened in Yogi's hair, twisting the locks between them, as he pulled back a little. While he gulped for air, Yogi's lips slid to his jaw and traced a line to his throat. Gareki had to force himself to breathe, unwilling to choke in response to the sensations, partly because he didn't want to die but mostly because he didn't want to give Yogi the satisfaction. Not yet, at least. He allowed himself a hiss, though, when he felt Yogi's teeth graze at his throat.

His fingers tightened more in remonstrance. "Not there, idiot," he said, too aware of how raspy his voice was already. "You'll leave a mark."

"Sorry," Yogi replied, barely above a whisper. He unwound his arms from Gareki's waist and fumbled to open the buttons on Gareki's uniform shirt. He unfastened the top few and opened the shirt, exposing Gareki's chest and the juncture between his neck and shoulder. He latched onto the skin there and continued his ministrations with new fervor.

"Gah," Gareki couldn't help uttering in surprise, not so much from the action but from the gall of Yogi to complete it. This was the same boy who'd _asked_ to hold his hand. He tightened his grip in Yogi's hair, and he absently wondered if the blond was ignoring the discomfort or just couldn't feel it. Meanwhile, one of Yogi's hands cupped his face to hold him steady while the other ran up and down Gareki's chest and stomach, dipping ever lower with each pass. Gareki felt a tingle pooling in his low in his core. The thought of Yogi's hand eventually traveling lower, combined with the sensations currently assaulting him and the constant reminder of _running out of time_ in the back of his mind, made him bold. He let go of Yogi's shoulder and felt between them. He slid his hand up Yogi's thigh before landing on his belt buckle. The move made him quiver, which Gareki's body echoed.

Yogi pulled back to look at him. His face and lips were flushed but his eyes shone clearly as they bored into Gareki's. "Are you sure?" he asked calmly, and it was probably the sweetest way he could've asked the question.

"I dragged you into a closet," Gareki deadpanned instead of answering directly.

Yogi gave him something far more crafty and sinister than his usual smiles. "This is true," he said, then reached down to knock Gareki's hands away and undo his own belt buckle. Gareki's eyes tracked the movement, and he swallowed as he watched Yogi shove down his shorts, freeing his semi-hard erection. Gareki was entranced by the velvet stretch of skin and the brush of blond hairs framing it. Before he could stop himself, he reached down and wrapped his hand around Yogi's cock. The shudder that ran through him at the touch filled Gareki with resolve, and he started to stroke, slowly at first until he settled into a rhythm.

Yogi issued something caught between a sigh and a whimper, and he dropped his head onto Gareki's shoulder. He rocked his hips into the touch, gently like he couldn't help himself. Gareki could hear each of his exhalations, could hear Yogi's breath hitch in his throat and transforming into a moan, could tell from the tension in his jaw how quiet Yogi was trying to be for fear of someone hearing them out in the hall. Gareki used these observations as fuel, increasing his speed here and squeezing there and generally coaxing more of those reactions out of his lover.

His rhythm finally faltered when he felt Yogi's fingers dip beneath the waistband of his pants as he unfastened them. Once they were open, Yogi grabbed Gareki's hand to stop his stroking, then walked him backwards until his back was against a wall. Gareki assumed Yogi had a plan and went with it, perfectly fine with following the lead of someone (hopefully) more...experienced than himself. Besides, he was too distracted by the feel of Yogi's cool fingers against his abdomen as the other pushed Gareki's shirt off his shoulders. Gareki gathered enough wit to help him take it off completely. Yogi spared a moment to whip off his own T-shirt, then shoved Gareki's pants down his hips to catch at his thighs.

Gareki was sure that he was red all along his exposed skin with the way that Yogi was staring down at his cock. The hungry fascination in his expression reminded Gareki of several weeks ago, of Yogi's face as he listened to Gareki's tour. Suddenly, Yogi's eyes flicked up to Gareki's, and they both blushed. Yogi leaned toward into him for a kiss, pressing their bodies flush together. A pleasant tingle curled through Gareki from every point of contact he had with the other, spiking where their cocks touched. His hands slid down Yogi's back, pulling slightly to bring him closer, as if that were possible. Yogi took that direction to move, thrusting up into the hollow between their bodies. The friction ripped a groan from Gareki's throat, muffled only because Yogi's lips were still attached to his. Gareki's hands slid down further to clutch Yogi's thighs, helping set and keep his frantic pace. Yogi, for his part, grabbed at Gareki's hip for balance and braced his arm on the wall behind Gareki to keep himself steady.

Yogi continued his rutting, Gareki thrusting his hips away from the wall to meet him. Yogi kissed any part of Gareki he could land on – lips, eyelids, jaw – while Gareki did his level best to hold back his moans until he felt himself tip over the edge. His thrusts shallowed, and Yogi slowed down to meet him. Gareki threw his head back (ignoring the thud his head made with the wall) and tensed as he came. Yogi continued grinding into him, and through his hypersensitive cock he could feel Yogi's twitch before he came, too.

Yogi once again dropped his head onto Gareki's shoulder, breathing heavily but undoubtedly smiling. Gareki could tell in the slope of his shoulders when he lowered his head to look. He reached a shaky hand to card through the blond tresses, and a sense of pride warmed him when he felt Yogi shudder at his touch.

Gareki's watch went off, and both boys jumped. Gareki shoved Yogi away and looked around for something they could clean themselves up with. He spotted a roll of paper towels on a shelf against the adjacent wall and dove for them. He ripped off a few sheets for himself before tossing the roll to Yogi. Once that was taken care of, they scrambled to put their clothes back on, buttoned and buckled and pulled free of wrinkles.

"How do I look?" Gareki asked, self-conscious for the first time since starting his job, so convinced he was that everyone would be able to tell what he and Yogi had just done. "Yogi?" he insisted when the other didn't answer, turning to look at him fully.

Yogi's gaze swept over him. He licked his lips, and Gareki was sure he didn't know he was doing it. Gareki rolled his eyes and grabbed the front of Yogi's shirt. He yanked him into a brief but hot kiss, then shoved him away again. "There. That should hold you over," he grumbled.

* * *

"Promise you'll stay in touch!" Touma shouted across the table. "And come visit our campus sometimes, too."

Setsuna yanked Touma back down by the shirt. "Relax, we live in the same town, we'll see each other again. Right, Gareki?"

Gareki shrugged. "I'll be going on college tours soon enough anyway."

"Really?" Kyoko asked. "But you're not applying yet."

"Helps to be prepared."

Touma and Setsuna snickered. "That's our Gareki," they said in unison. The group laughed gently, then fell silent again. The rest of the cafeteria, filled with the museum staff attending the after-hours end-of-summer party, chatted amicably.

"It went by so fast," Setsuna said.

"Yeah," Gareki agreed. "And here I thought it'd drag on."

* * *

Gareki stared up at his ceiling. For the first Monday in months, he didn't have to be up early, but his body was too accustomed to his now-former work schedule to sleep in. And while he did technically have an appointment later, he just lay there. It was the last day he'd have the dorm to himself for the school year, so he soaked in the stillness of the morning for as long as he could. When Gareki finally decided to roll out of bed and get ready for the day, he was still early for his meet-up with Yogi. Still, knowing the blond's propensity for procrastination, he figured it couldn't hurt to find him early and make sure he was ready.

Sure enough, the Yogi who answered the door wasn't the ready-to-go Yogi he'd expected. He was still wearing his pajamas and his sleep-mussed hair was more unruly than usual. Gareki shoved away all thoughts of how cute Yogi looked and groaned in frustration. "We have to be ready in half an hour," he said, pushing Yogi back into the room and closing the door behind him.

Gareki rummaged through Yogi's things and hurled a bundle at him. "Go freshen up. Now. I'll find you something decent to wear."

Rather than leave the room, Yogi set the toiletries down and scooped Gareki into a hug. "Good morning," he said. Gareki only sighed and patted his back before pushing him gently but insistently away.

True to his word, Gareki picked out an outfit for Yogi and helped him speed through his morning prep. This, of course, meant Gareki had to practice a pious amount of restraint when Yogi returned from his record-setting shower with his exposed skin still damp and heat-flushed. (And Yogi certainly seemed eager to tease him.) Despite the distraction, they made it to Kuronomei's main entrance with a couple minutes to spare.

"Miu's going to lose it when she sees I'm early," Yogi said through a bright smile.

"I'm sure," Gareki said. He scanned the street for any sign of Yogi's family, even though he knew it would be a little while more until they were scheduled to arrive.

Yogi took his elbow. "Don't be nervous," he said softly. "They'll love you."

"Who says I'm nervous?" Gareki _was_ nervous, but he'd only feel worse admitting it aloud.

Yogi didn't say anything but tugged Gareki into a brief kiss. "You didn't have to say it."

**Author's Note:**

> Why, yes, I _do_ name my OCs after characters from other anime. Brownie points for guessing which series I picked.
> 
> This fic was heavily inspired by Dudette_mal.


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